At the end of the day, I think Audacity played everyone for the fool - Marethari for believing that she alone knew how to deal with the situation, and Merrill for thinking she was in the right for wanting to restore the mirror.
I'm wondering how you concluded that Merrill was not "in the right for wanting to restore the mirror." Considering that Merrill, the character knows vastly more about the eluvians than we, the players do, it seems like assuming she wrong about them rings a bit hollow.
Or she could have just been a stubborn idiot committing idiocy out of her own ignorance, pride and fear. Which seems far more likely to me; And considering Hawke a human went out of their way to befriend her, shelter her and give her purpose for near on a decade you figure she would be more grateful then to just offhandedly blow him off like their request was nothing.
Personally i think nothing of not helping her complete her idiocy.
Again i really think she has a reduced mental aptitude upon occasion.
It seems more likely to me that performing extensive research on the Eluvian would make Merrill more informed about the artifact than Hawke or Marethari.
I also don't hold it against Merrill for learning blood magic from Audacity (which can likely be learned verbally, since the Orlesian Warden can ask the Baroness to teach him blood magic in exchange for siding with her, and Anders even asks Merrill if she learned it by accident from her own blood) since it's trapped to a Buddha-like artifact, and has been bound to the statute since the Arlathan elves fought the Tevinter humans over a millennia ago at Sundermount (long before Andraste was even alive, in fact).
And given her proficient handling of magic, her ability to handle blood magic without succumbing to it, and her ability to evade the templars for years at the seat of templar power over eastern Thedas, I don't see Merrill as an idiot. Not in the least.
As for Hawke, if the main character is a friend to Merrill (if the protagonist takes that route after meeting her), it doesn't make her beholden to acquiesce to Hawke's demands. Merrill is entitled to her own opinions, and pursuing her own goals in life.
I'm wondering how you concluded that Merrill was not "in the right for wanting to restore the mirror." Considering that Merrill, the character knows vastly more about the eluvians than we, the players do, it seems like assuming she wrong about them rings a bit hollow.
Misunderstood me dude. I do believe Merrill was right, and that Audacity played off of her feeling that she was in the right.
At the end of the day, I think Audacity played everyone for the fool - Marethari for believing that she alone knew how to deal with the situation, and Merrill for thinking she was in the right for wanting to restore the mirror.
I think you're right. I sincerely doubt Audacity cared who let him out as long as someone did. I most certainly doubt that he actually helped anyone.
I'd wager that Audacity was the source of Marethari's assumption that the restored Eluvian would be a gateway for escape, since Marethari's protests against Merrill's efforts were completely different in Acts I and II.
Also, Merrill learned blood magic from Audacity because she lacked the necessary amount of lyrium to cleanse the shard with ordinary magic; she was building the Eluvian from lore she gathered and information that she managed to obtain directly from the shard. Furthermore, Audacity is sundered from the Beyond (the Fade) and has been trapped in a totem by powerful magic since the fall of Arlathan; it is impotent to do anything other than communicate with others and send them images (which is stronger depending on the proximity one is to it's location). That is, until Marethari set it free.
Maybe. But it looked so off at the end of that post. Merrill was actively dealing with the demon all the time. Following it's instruction and having been tutored by it (warranting the question why it would help her at all if it wasn't interested in using the mirror at all). So without further elaboration if you end a post like that it -must- by narrative casuality be the one that dealt with the demon the most that should've suffered the blow.
I was mistly just trying to point out that it basically was the opposite of the rest of your post 
My question on this though has always been, was Audacity freed when Merril activated the Eluvian? She couldn't make it work but could sense power in it. When she tried to communicate with Audacity she couldn't?
I don't know that may be inaccurate, I can't remember if Marethari says she freed Audacity or just let audacity possess her.... Again, that story line could have been so much better fleshed out in ways that could have made far more sense.
Marethari claims that she released Audacity from the totem so that it wouldn't try to possess Merrill.
Misunderstood me dude. I do believe Merrill was right, and that Audacity played off of her feeling that she was in the right.
Gotcha.
How so? I disagree that it wasn't well explained. It did feel rather tragic to me, even more so after the Dalish chose to attack me for defending Merrill.
Ok, what part of Marethari thinking freeing a demon is a good idea made sense? She was a keeper, she has probably forgotten more lore than Merril knows, and should be far wiser than Merril. One of the primary jobs of a keeper is to be the repository for all the clans lore and knowledge, yet Merril who probably has 1/3 to 1/4 of her experiences knows more about elven Eluvians and is the one who is smart enough to not release a demon. I am sorry I think there is probably a reason that Marethari thinks the eluvian will release Audacity. I just don't think it was demonstrated. I also think the way it was implemented that allows Merril to basically act like none of hit was her fault because as I said the "wisest member of the clan" suddenly becomes the village idiot for no real reason? Also, I don't think Merril ever truly demonstrates a reason to be so committed to restoring the Eluvian against the advice of the Keeper and others other than just pride. It just comes off poorly to me, I am sorry. If Marethari was simply tempted/manipulated into releasing Audacity than it should have been better demonstrated, if Marathari was right in that Merril was at risk of releasing the demon with the eluvian it should have been demonstrated or actually shown to be a false concern. I don't know that whole story line was just frustrating to me.
Marethari claims that she released Audacity from the totem so that it wouldn't try to possess Merrill.
There seems to be a "Yo, dawg..." meme in there somewhere.
My question on this though has always been, was Audacity freed when Merril activated the Eluvian? She couldn't make it work but could sense power in it. When she tried to communicate with Audacity she couldn't?
I don't know that may be inaccurate, I can't remember if Marethari says she freed Audacity or just let audacity possess her.... Again, that story line could have been so much better fleshed out in ways that could have made far more sense.
Merrill tried to communicate with Audacity remotely, but she couldn't sense Audacity, and she thought it might have somehow escaped (which is why she asks Hawke to accompany her to Sundermount). Merrill reached out to Audacity via magic because of her issue with the inert Eluvian several years later cleansing the darkspawn taint from the shard. Merrill also makes note that Audacity should have only been able to be released intentionally through a powerful spell (although we don't know if Merrill was even aware of the spell necessary to free it).
Marethari released Audacity because she thought it would have escaped from the restored Eluvian, but she never explains how she came to this conclusion. It seemed to me that the most likely source for this information (which differs from her original reasons for opposing Merrill) was Audacity itself.
It seems more likely to me that performing extensive research on the Eluvian would make Merrill more informed about the artifact than Hawke or Marethari.
I also don't hold it against Merrill for learning blood magic from Audacity (which can likely be learned verbally, since the Orlesian Warden can ask the Baroness to teach him blood magic in exchange for siding with her, and Anders even asks Merrill if she learned it by accident from her own blood) since it's trapped to a Buddha-like artifact, and has been bound to the statute since the Arlathan elves fought the Tevinter humans over a millennia ago at Sundermount (long before Andraste was even alive, in fact).
And given her proficient handling of magic, her ability to handle blood magic without succumbing to it, and her ability to evade the templars for years at the seat of templar power over eastern Thedas, I don't see Merrill as an idiot. Not in the least.
As for Hawke, if the main character is a friend to Merrill (if the protagonist takes that route after meeting her), it doesn't make her beholden to acquiesce to Hawke's demands. Merrill is entitled to her own opinions, and pursuing her own goals in life.
Extensive research? Treating with a demon you mean, believing its word to be fact and expecting the result not to explode in her face. Point Blank Stupidity.
So your comparing treating with one demon to another? Accurate if not very disproving of my point; You treat with demons and it always ends badly, she claims to be careful. To never trust and yet she had no qualms about accepting whatever bargain was tossed in front of her when it came to the Mirror; She was obsessed and blinded by it to the degree she couldn't even see her own corruption.
And the Templars have a fairly valid excuse, Not bothering with that elven hovel for one except when there was a confirmed mage there and two having to deal with those moronic mages of the circle 24/7 and their constant attempts to ruin the circle for every one.
Right excuse me for thinking she would be grateful for taking her to the city, dealing with her annoyingly trite and naive attitude, defending her and giving her purpose in the world beyond those backwood skulkers.
There seems to be a "Yo, dawg..." meme in there somewhere.
It was either that or let it posses Merrill
Was that the battle during the conclave? There was no description of blood magic being used in that fight.
You may be correct. I don't have assunder with me but I thought BM was used against the templars.
Extensive research? Treating with a demon you mean, believing its word to be fact and expecting the result not to explode in her face. Point Blank Stupidity.
So your comparing treating with one demon to another? Accurate if not very disproving of my point; You treat with demons and it always ends badly, she claims to be careful. To never trust and yet she had no qualms about accepting whatever bargain was tossed in front of her when it came to the Mirror; She was obsessed and blinded by it to the degree she couldn't even see her own corruption.
And the Templars have a fairly valid excuse, Not bothering with that elven hovel for one except when there was a confirmed mage there and two having to deal with those moronic mages of the circle 24/7 and their constant attempts to ruin the circle for every one.
Right excuse me for thinking she would be grateful for taking her to the city, dealing with her annoyingly trite and naive attitude, defending her and giving her purpose in the world beyond those backwood skulkers.
Merrill was building the Eluvian from her own research: the lore she gathered on the Eluvians, and the information she extrapolated from the shard. What she learned from Audacity was blood magic.
As for spirits (as the Dalish view all the denizens of the Beyond as dangerous), the main issue here is that Audacity is bound to the statute. It's a unique situation where the spirit is not in a position to physically harm Merrill.
In regards to the templars, Merrill makes note that she's makes an effort not to be caught; since the templars are an issue for the Dalish, it's not as though the danger the templars pose to mages is new to her.
You may be correct. I don't have assunder with me but I thought BM was used against the templars.
No. There was no recorded use of blood magic, although the Veil ripped so badly that spirits were floating around during the fight.
Wasn't Merrill's only source of information on the Eluvian the demon? 
It was either that or let it posses Merrill
Marethari wanted to protect Merrill from Audacity, so she let Audacity loose from it's millennium-old prison, became possessed, and then tried to kill Merrill as an abomination.
You know, I see a small problem with this plan.
It was either that or let it posses Merrill
She might have believed that, but I see nothing to suggest that to be true. Even if you take her word for it, it seems to me that a much better idea would have been to take whatever she thought she knew about Audacity and its plans to Merrill and Hawke, be forthright and honest about it, and offer to help out.
Marethari's dishonest behavior toward and about Merrill is what lead to her demise.
Wasn't Merrill's only source of information on the Eluvian the demon?
Heck, I don't even think Audacity told her anything of the mirror itself, just gave her the extra power to cleanse it.
Merrill was building the Eluvian from her own research: the lore she gathered on the Eluvians, and the information she extrapolated from the shard. What she learned from Audacity was blood magic.
As for spirits (as the Dalish view all the denizens of the Beyond as dangerous), the main issue here is that Audacity is bound to the statute. It's a unique situation where the spirit is not in a position to physically harm Merrill.
In regards to the templars, Merrill makes note that she's makes an effort not to be caught; since the templars are an issue for the Dalish, it's not as though the danger the templars pose to mages is new to her.
Considering there is no surviving lore about Eluvians--her only source would have been Audacity.
Wasn't Merrill's only source of information on the Eluvian the demon?
Not according to the developers. I know Gaider said a while back: "She just has the one shard. She incorporates it into the mirror she builds, extrapolating its construction both from the shard itself and what lore she's been able to collect. Probably why she wasn't able to get it to work."
And yet... I only have one question about the whole thing...
If Audacity had no plan regarding Merrill and the Mirror... why did he teach her blood magic?
Marethari wanted to protect Merrill from Audacity, so she let Audacity loose from it's millennium-old prison, became possessed, and then tried to kill Merrill as an abomination.
You know, I see a small problem with this plan.
Maternal feelings aren't always rational. Example: Isolde.
Merrill was building the Eluvian from her own research: the lore she gathered on the Eluvians, and the information she extrapolated from the shard. What she learned from Audacity was blood magic.
As for spirits (as the Dalish view all the denizens of the Beyond as dangerous), the main issue here is that Audacity is bound to the statute. It's a unique situation where the spirit is not in a position to physically harm Merrill.
In regards to the templars, Merrill makes note that she's makes an effort not to be caught; since the templars are an issue for the Dalish, it's not as though the danger the templars pose to mages is new to her.
And yet she figured she could learn how the mirror could be completed from the demon there it's no more presumption then your own assumption she did entirely with out demonic aid. Especially considering her entire source on the matter was the demon in question.
Doesn't really negate the fact that trading fairs with one is stupid; Bound, Unbound a demon is a demon and the elves can candy coat that however they wish it doesn't make them get possessed with any less frequency.
Aa and i say she got lucky, i doubt she ever had any situation comparable to kirkwall, Elven Precedence worked in her favor in that regard, i have a feeling had she been caught preforming magic in public that tale would have a much different end and considering by the time Hawke Achieved the mantle of champion he could be shielding another mage, One nearly as corrupted and wicked as Merril herself.
Hawke had no taste in friends.
...Besides that Lanky Elf with dat voice @__@
Even morrigan knew that you shouldn't deal with demon and she was most amoral companion in da games i would say only painted to be black... and in the end she was screwd by demon twice... this is another of many examples why templars have to reach for more ruthless methods with dumb .... who know better and think that they can handle demon.
She might have believed that, but I see nothing to suggest that to be true. Even if you take her word for it, it seems to me that a much better idea would have been to take whatever she thought she knew about Audacity and its plans to Merrill and Hawke, be forthright and honest about it, and offer to help out.
Marethari's dishonest behavior toward and about Merrill is what lead to her demise.
As if Merrill would believe her
Merrill was just as stubborn as Marethari was
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